New Execs Named at 5 CUs Including California Coast, Tower & One Detroit

WEST

Mike Williams, president/CEO of Colorado Credit Union ($372 million, Littleton, Colo.), was named a Pierre Jay Award recipient for 2023 in a ceremony held Aug. 27 during the 58th Annual NASCUS State System Summit. The Pierre Jay Award honors those who have demonstrated outstanding service, leadership and commitment to NASCUS and the state system, and is NASCUS’s highest honor in recognizing champions of the state credit union system. Williams has worked in credit unions for 38 years and served as Colorado CU’s president/CEO for the past 31 years. His other industry accolades and accomplishments include:

• Serving on the NASCUS Credit Union Advisory Council for the past decade, including as chairman from 2020-2022, board vice chair from 2018-2020, secretary from 2016-2018 and currently on the Interstate Branching/Operations Task Force
• Serving as a board member of the State of Colorado Division of Financial Services since 2018
• Being named one of Denver Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs in 2022
• Being elected the Mountain West Credit Union Professional of the Year in 2011
• Receiving the Distinguished Leader Award from the Center for Credit Union Leadership in 2017
• Being elected to the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders in 2013
• Serving on the board of trustees of Western CUNA Management School

The $3.3 billion, San Diego-based California Coast Credit Union hired Kellen Gill as chief audit and risk officer. In his new role, Gill will oversee internal audit, compliance, risk management and legal for the credit union. For the past 16 years, he has worked in several roles of increasing responsibility at Sempra Energy and San Diego Gas and Electric Company, including in corporate tax, accounting, compliance, internal audit, legislative policy and regulatory affairs. He has also served as an adjunct professor of accountancy at the University of San Diego and teaches the Certified Public Accountant examination preparation course for Becker Professional Education. Gill holds a master of science degree in tax from San Diego State University and is a CPA licensed to practice in the state of California.

The $4.7 billion SAFE Credit Union in Folsom, Calif., hired Michelle Bradshaw as SVP, information technology. Bradshaw brings over 27 years of technology leadership experience, having most recently served as SVP, enterprise product management for Global Credit Union ($12 billion, Anchorage, Alaska). In her new role, as part of a corporate reorganization effort, she will lead several key teams including core applications, IT operations and business transformation. Bradshaw is the current chair of the board of directors of Live & Learn, a local nonprofit committed to empowering women experiencing poverty, violence and homelessness to break the cycle through education, training and support.

EAST

The $4.4 billion, Laurel, Md.-based Tower Federal Credit Union promoted Jay Russell to SVP and chief information officer. Russell has over 30 years of experience in the technology industry, with over 15 years of focused expertise in the financial sector. In his new role, he will be responsible for leading Tower’s technology strategy; overseeing the information technology, project management and deposit operations teams; and spearheading initiatives to further advance the credit union’s position as a leader in serving its over 220,000 members worldwide with exceptional value and trusted expertise. Russell has held various leadership positions in local, regional and international organizations, where he played a pivotal role in driving service outcomes through effective alignment between business objectives and the underlying technologies that facilitate the service. He has also served as an adjunct professor to the Sellinger School of Business MBA program at Loyola University Maryland for 18 years. Russell holds a master’s degree in technology leadership and innovation with a focus on biometric technologies from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., and an MBA from Loyola University Maryland.

The $2.4 billion, Suitland, Md.-based Andrews Federal Credit Union promoted Jonathan Hernandez to vice president of lending operations. Hernandez has worked in the lending industry for more than 15 years and previously served as vice president of mortgage origination and loan servicing for Andrews Federal. In his new role, he will be responsible for all consumer and real estate lending operations, encompassing leadership and oversight of mortgage and consumer lending including loan delivery and investor relations. Hernandez worked for Andrews Federal early in his career and returned to the credit union in 2022. He also served as vice president of loan administration and delivery for the $4.7 billion, Concord, Calif.-based Chevron Federal Credit Union.

The $879 million, Chesapeake, Va.-based ABNB Federal Credit Union announced five promotions and one new hire.

Michelle Perry was promoted to assistant vice president of consumer lending. In her new role, Perry will oversee consumer lending, card services, central files, collections and the Loan Center, which includes direct and indirect consumer lending. Perry joined ABNB four years ago with 33 years of experience in the credit union industry overseeing multiple departments in various leadership roles.

Melissa Rose was promoted to director of marketing. Rose has been with ABNB for more than seven years, serving in various leadership roles at the credit union. She has 15 years of experience with a focus in corporate partnerships and regional brand strategies utilizing award-winning marketing best practices.

Cassandra Tucker was promoted to director of operations. In her new role, Tucker will continue to oversee the operations department and performance of payment channels (ACH, Wire, Share Draft, RTP/FedNow) in addition to deposit products, retail and commercial products, and merchant services. She has more than 13 years of managerial experience in the financial services industry overseeing multiple departments in various leadership roles.

Stacy Blausey was promoted to director of compliance. In her new role, she will continue to oversee all aspects of the credit union’s compliance activities including changes in laws and regulations, information disclosures, reviewing product/service marketing materials and managing ABNB’s compliance management system, along with oversight for all aspects of the Bank Secrecy Act. Blausey has more than 29 years of experience in various leadership roles in the financial industry and has been with ABNB for 13 years.

Shawn Hayes was promoted to director of enterprise risk and information security officer. In his new role, he will oversee enterprise risk management, information security and fraud. Hayes joined ABNB six years ago with 19 years of information technology experience to lead the credit union’s information security and networking teams. He has been a member of ABNB’s Enterprise Risk Management Committee since its formation.

Tyler Foley was hired as director of business intelligence. In his new role, Foley will oversee data strategy, analytics and the cultivation of a culture centered around data-driven decision-making. He has over a decade of experience in business analytics and intelligence, spanning diverse business sectors including government, education and technology. Prior to joining ABNB, Foley held high-level managerial positions at the Virginia Department of Transportation, InMotion Hosting and ExecOnline.

MIDWEST

The $57.8 million One Detroit Credit Union in Detroit, Mich., hired Portia Powell as chief experience officer, effective June 1, 2023. Powell brings more than 20 years of banking experience, having previously served at Chemical Bank as manager of municipal banking operations. She is a Certified Public Funds investment manager, and also served as a program manager for Huntington Bank’s Lift Local Program and led the Minority & Women Owned Business Initiative for TCF Bank. In her new role, Powell will oversee the retail banking, call center and digital banking, marketing, strategy and innovation teams.

The $4.8 billion Royal Credit Union in Eau Claire, Wis., announced one new hire and one promotion.

Sarah Schaekel was hired as branch manager II at Royal’s Edina, Minn., office. In her new role, Schaekel’s responsibilities will include meeting with members to help them reach financial goals, hiring and training high-impact talent that represent Royal’s core values, and managing branch operations. She brings more than 10 years of financial services industry experience, having most recently served as a branch manager for Wings Financial Credit Union ($8.8 billion, Apple Valley, Minn.).

Josh Odegard was promoted to regional director of branch operations – St. Croix Valley. In his new role, Odegard is responsible for leading branch managers and their teams to achieve their strategic and growth goals and guiding operations of Royal’s offices throughout the St. Croix Valley region in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Odegard joined Royal in 2001 as a loan representative, and has since held the positions of assistant branch manager, branch manager and most recently member experience manager. He is a founding member of Mighty Maddy’s Mission, a non-profit that helps children and families going through pediatric cancer.

Please send your People news items to Natasha Chilingerian at nchilingerian@cutimes.com.